Dear America: When Will This Cruel War Be Over? The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson

By: Barry Denenberg
Scholastic Inc., 1996
Reading Level: 6.6 (Accelerated Reader)
Independent Read


Description:
Historical Fiction, Diary

Emma Simpson is a teenage girl living in Virginia during the civil war.  With her father and brother off at war, Emma and her mother must take care of their plantation by themselves, which poses many challenges in itself.  Although Emma is not a soldier, the war is never far from her home and she witnesses the horror and sadness that goes hand in hand with warfare.  Barry Denenberg offers a realistic glimpse into the glum world of the Civil War in When Will This Cruel World Be Over?  The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson.

*Teacher Resources for When Will This Cruel War Be Over?  The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson

Supporting Electronic Resources:
Scholastic (Teach Dear America)
Use this website as a pre-reading tool to introduce the Civil War era, preview various Dear America books, and give students a background on life during the Civil War.  Website includes an interactive timeline of American history as well as related activities, lesson plans, and books.
The Civil War - PBS
This website contains videos, interactive pictures, timelines, historical documents, and interactive maps pertaining to the Civil War.  There are also related lesson plans and discussion questions which apply to When Will This Cruel World Be Over?  The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson.  This website can be used for pre, during, and post-reading activity ideas.

Vocabulary Words:
apprehension, supposition, dismal, Yankee, Confederate, melancholy, skittish, vex, consternation, quinine, smallpox, infatuation, deprivation, triviality

Teaching Suggestions:
-This book can be used in conjunction with a unit on the Civil War
-Discuss the characteristics of historical fiction as well as journals

Comprehension Strategies:
Pre-Reading- Before reading, start off with a KWL (Know, Want to Know, Learned).  Ask students what they already know about the Civil War and have them think about how a young girl like Emma must have felt during such a violent war.  Have them also list some of the things that they would like to learn about the Civil War during the reading.
During Reading- At the beginning of the story create a graphic organizer that is to be filled out throughout the story.  Organize important people, places, and events to help students keep track of the information that they learn about the Civil War.
Post-Reading- Complete the last part of the KWL chart by having students explain what they learned about

Writing Activity:
Have students pretend that they are young children living during the Civil War.  As a practice exercise in persuasive writing, ask students to write a letter to President Lincoln persuading him to put an end to the war.